a few days of thanksgiving

Today I am grateful for nearby grocery stores stocked full of food. And money so that Layla and I could buy a cart full of good stuff to nourish our family.

 
I am grateful for my kids hardworking teachers. And enough food to fill our bellies.

 

 

I am grateful for cute turkey crafts.

 

 

I am grateful I got to hear some spectacular music last night at Kacin's band concert (he plays percussion). And for opportunities for all those elementary kids to develop their talents at school.

 

  
I am grateful that before Kyler went to bed last night he told me two good things that happened at school that day.

 

I am also grateful that Eric works from home. So when Perry had a big potty accident this afternoon he went to his dad to clean it up instead of me. Good choice, Perry. And a big thank you to Eric for taking care of that one.

a few days of thanksgiving

I went hiking with my sister this morning. Which left me feeling grateful for so many things. For family. For healthy bodies. For conversation. For desert beauty. For fun. For fellow friendly hikers. For views from on top of a mountain. For good shoes. For bottled water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"week" of thanksgiving

I was going to try to do a "week of thanksgiving" and post one thing each day that I am especially feeling grateful for right now. Seeing as we are now three days away from thanksgiving, I am grateful for flexibility to my own plans and the gift of grace for myself. Because it is now officially "a few days of thanksgiving".

Without too many words, except to say that my heart swells with gratitude and joy for these things, I give you a few things I am grateful for today:

Book clubs and their good conversations with "my kind of people"

 

Layla's made up songs (especially her Jesus songs she sang for me to comfort me when I started crying during a movie)

 

Perry's smile and laugh

 

Laughing with Kacin and watching Kyler's eyes light up when he is excited about something

 

family walks

 

this man who works so hard to support our family and is patient with me and all of my shortcomings and who will sometimes dance in the kitchen with me 

 

cousin twins

i took Layla shopping the other day. that sweet girl just won't stop growing no matter what i tell her. i ask her to stay little forever and she tells me but then she won't be a mom and i won't be grandma so she needs to grow up. and don't worry because we can still love close to each other.

so she keeps growing and we had to go shopping.

as soon as we saw a row of skirts on clearance, she begged to buy cousin macie a matching skirt to wear when she came over to play while aunt jacqui was busy.

i love when these cousin twins are so happy together.

god bless america

just like everyone else, election 2016 made me sick. i am thrilled it is over. not thrilled with the outcome, but happy to move on and go forward in this great country of ours.

i loved that we got to celebrate veterans day just a few days after election day. i am sooo grateful for all those who serve and have served to protect our country and our freedoms.

Layla's kinder class had a parade around their school in honor of our veterans. there can't be a more  pure and upstanding sight than a group of five and six year olds wearing their red, white, and blue, waving those american flags, and singing the national anthem. we love the usa! 

thanks to all of our veterans and God bless america!

thirteen years

thirteen years ago.

 

we were just little babies back then. 

we thought we knew so much.

we didn't.

but thirteen years of life experience together teaches you things. 

(namely, how much we still don't know.)

but also how to take things in stride and how marriage, while never easy, is absolutely ordained of God and is the best way to get through life. 

we can tackle any of life's challenges side by side, working together.

I'm so glad we took that leap of faith and were married in the temple all those years ago.

case in point: one of those things we still don't know--how to make 13 on our fingers, instead of 31.

these days

Each week Layla and Macie go to a music theater class. Layla loves it! She loves the singing and the dancing. They had a parents visiting day and it was so great to see her in action during class.

The boys started piano lessons again. We found a guy who will come to our house. Oh, how I love this arrangement. So our house is filled the sounds of the piano keys again. Oftentimes, it is Layla who I find singing and playing on the piano. She has asked me a couple times now when she can take lessons. I'll have to sit down with her soon and give her some lessons of her own.

We had a hearing check at a new otolaryngology clinic. Now we have to make a decision about surgery or not to correct the mild hearing loss. Kacin wants the surgery done because he thinks it will mean he doesn't have to wear ear plugs when swimming anymore.

Kyler participated in the wear sunglasses to school day. But he refused to get in the school spirit when it was Toga day.

Layla and I got serious about finding a kitchen table and chairs. She loved being my model when I sent pictures to Eric.  

After considering price and immediate availability, we decided on this one.

Another great selfie by Layla. 

I picked this stud up for lunch one day.

Goofy!

It was Kyler's turn to join me on a night out to Hale theater. He clearly did not want to pose for pictures before we left. There was definitely a "mom go away, I just want you to take me out to dinner like you promised" feeling. 

He picked cafe rio and we had a great evening out. He wasn't so sure that a play entitled "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" was something he wanted to see, but he was pleasantly surprised and it was a fun night out.

I scheduled us to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children. I was so hopeful that it would be a fun service project for all of our family to participate in.

Perry had been there with his class and did great. But that day he decided he wanted nothing to do with that hair net. We tried everything, but he just ripped it off over and over again. This meant he could not go back and participate in packing the meals. Eric and I took turns out with him. To make matters even more exciting, our little 5 year old was not feeling particularly cooperative that afternoon either (which looking back we realized she had not eaten her lunch like we thought she had). She also rotated in and out between helping and time out with one of us.

Overall, we did what we could and still participated in helping a great program.